Canada Day in Vancouver special for new citizens represents, special, journey

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Canada Day in Vancouver special for new citizens



VANCOUVER - The Olympic flame was blazing as 60 new Canadians took the oath of citizenship Friday morning at Jack Poole Plaza on Canada's 144th birthday.

For Bernadette Apolinar and her two sons Paulo, 18, and Gabriel, 10, the Canada Day ceremony represents the end of a journey that has taken her from the Philippines, to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, to Texas and finally to Canada.

"Now we belong to a culture that shares our family's values," Apolinar said. "We're so proud to be Canadians. It's so emotional for us."

Apolinar was an industrial engineer in the Philippines, but she and her husband had to leave their homeland for economic reasons. They landed in Dubai, where Paolo was born, but they moved again because they wanted to find a new country where they could become citizens. The family moved to Texas, where Gabriel was born, but they found the process of becoming American citizens too difficult. They arrived in Canada in 2007, and have since happily settled in Richmond.

Paolo is going into his second year in sciences at the University of British Columbia, and he hopes to one day enter the medical field. Gabriel, who is in elementary school, has set his sights on becoming "an engineer like my dad."

"If we dream, we dream big, and Vancouver offers that opportunity for everyone," said the boys' mother, who has retrained at Vancouver Community College as a practical nurse.

Senator Yonah Martin, who immigrated to Canada at the age of seven from Seoul, Korea, told the large crowd that becoming Canadian was a perfect way to celebrate Canada Day.

"I can't imagine a more special way to spend Canada Day and your first day as Canadians," she said. Also on hand to congratulate the new Canadians were B.C. Minister of Social Development Harry Bloy and Mayor Gregor Robertson.

The plaza was a sea of red — filled with hundreds of Canadian flags, maple leaf hats and Canada Day towels — as the crowd sang the bilingual version of O Canada.

"It feels great to be part of this strong, beautiful country," said Alex Thong, 19, who came to Canada from Malaysia with his parents and two brothers in 2005.

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"We are proud to be Canadian," said Alex's father Charles Thong. "Canada has such great opportunities for the future generation."

The ceremony, which included musical performances by The Sojourners and the Dal Richards Orchestra, welcomed immigrants to Canada from 32 different countries, ranging from Israel to Scotland, Jamaica and Vietnam.

The citizenship ceremony was part of Vancouver's Canada Day festivities, which saw thousands of revellers hit the streets of Vancouver for indoor and outdoor events including five stages with more than 30 bands performing, including Soulstream and The Grapes of Wrath.

People were lined up near Canada Place to get temporary maple leaf tattoos, Canadian flag pins and other patriotic paraphernalia at the gathering that is billed as the largest Canada Day party outside of Ottawa.

Canadian food ranging from poutine to beavertails was on hand, as well as a giant Canadian flag cake to mark the occasion.

The Face of Canada art exhibition, a collection of more than 100 oil portraits of notable Canadians, made its international debut at the festival. Portraits by Canadian artist William Meire include Bobby Hull, Sir John A. Macdonald, Leslie Nielsen, Sarah McLachlan and Michael J. Fox.

There were also lots of activities for kids, including circus performers, giant board games and face painting. The Army, Navy and Air Force were all on hand with displays and exhibits as well, and celebrations were to include a parade downtown, followed by fireworks in Burrard Inlet.


Gabriel Apolinar (L) shows his Mom, Bernadette Apolinar his citizenship papers, July 1st, as they leave the stage at Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver. The annual Canada Day citizenship ceremony was held in the plaza with the Olympic flame lit.


The Olympic flame was lit, July 1st, at Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver for Canada Day celebrations


Surrey Canada Day festivities at the Cloverdale millennium amphitheatre, in Surrey,on July 1, 2011.

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Spectators, including 2-year-old Devon Lachelt riding on the shoulders of dad Ed Lachelt, enjoy Canada Day and Jazz Fest at Granville Island Friday, July 1, 2011.



Surrey Canada Day festivities at the Cloverdale Millennium Amphitheatre, in Surrey on July 1, 2011.



Volunteers hand out Canada flags to spectators who were at Canada Day and Jazz Fest at Granville Island Friday, July 1, 2011.



Surrey Canada Day festivities at the Cloverdale Millennium Amphitheatre, in Surrey on July 1, 2011.



Surrey Canada Day festivities at the Cloverdale Millennium Amphitheatre, in Surrey on July 1, 2011.